The series' name is a pun; in each book, the main character gets into a "pickle" (a difficult situation) because of an all-too human personality trait. The front endpapers of the books portrayed the 26 characters, and the back endpapers portrayed a map of the town.

The books were advertised with television commercials and a catchy jingle. There also existed a similar series, The Alphapets, on which Ruth Lerner Perle collaborated in the early 1990s. Some[who?] speculate that the reason the series was retired was because despite that it was an alphabet series with one book for each letter of the alphabet, the books did not teach the alphabet like the alphabet series of today which feature words throughout the story beginning with the respective letter.

The Sweet Pickles books were read in various episodes of the CBS television series Captain Kangaroo.

In 2012, the brand celebrated its 35th anniversary and the books are being re-released as digitally enhanced E-Books. Professional sound effects, narration and character voices performed by award-winning voice actors have been added to the books to create a fun and engaging reading experience for the whole family. The first 26 Books (A-Z) will be available at all major E-Retailers by Summer 2012. The E-Books were developed by Bento Box Interactive. Bento Box Interactive is a spin-off company of Bento Box Entertainment. [2][3]

Sweet Pickles is a fictional town with animal residents, whose misadventures impart basic values, ethics and social skills to children. A variety of techniques are employed in the series, such as comedy, music, story-telling, and active play. There was one book for each of the 26 Sweet Pickles characters, each representing a letter of the alphabet:

Who Stole Alligator's Shoe?: Accusing Alligator blames everything and everybody for anything that happens. She's not nice, and she's as mean as Nightingale.

Scaredy Bear: Bashful Bear is so shy he is afraid to try almost everything. He is known as scaredy bear. Too scared to see horror movies.

Fixed by Camel: Clever Camel is very practical and she can fix anything, including Kidding Kangaroo.

No Kicks for Dog: Doubtful Dog doubts anything and everything, including himself.

Elephant Eats the Profits: Enormous Elephant loves to eat and eat and eat and eat.

Fish and Flips: Fearless Fish careens around town on her motorcycle wearing her special helmet and tries to prove how fearless she is.

Pop 26: Songs With Giggles and Tickles and Life's Silly Pickles by The Sweet Pickles Players (1980) (Catalog #EU 802A). A 2 LP (12" 331⁄3) set on Euphrosyne Records. It came with paper punch-outs of the Sweet Pickles Players and The Sweet Pickles Stand Up Play Stage. It features the songs:

"Sweet Pickles Theme Song" - Pop 26

"What a Wonderful Town This Could Be" - Outraged Octopus

"Lion Looks at Love" - Loving Lion

"I Do It Too" - Imitating Iguana

"Responsible Rabbit Rag" - Responsible Rabbit

"I'll Do It Tomorrow" - Goof-Off Goose

"Havin' Fun" - Zany Zebra

"Isn't It Sweet to Eat?" - Enormous Elephant

"Bashful Bare Blues" - Bashful Bear

"Tantrum" - Temper Tantrum Turtle

"If I Could Make Up My Mind" - Questioning Quail

"Stork Spills the Beans" - Smarty Stork

"Not Allowed" - X-Rating Xerus

"Haw, Haw, I'm Only Kidding" - Kidding Kangaroo

"I'm Gorgeous" - Vain Vulture

"I Am Clever" - Clever Camel

"I'm Moody Moose" - Moody Moose

"I'm Nasty Nightingale" - Nasty Nightingale

"Health is Very Healthy for You" - Healthy Hippo

"It's Your Fault" - Accusing Alligator

"Do the Yakety Yak" - Yakety Yak

"When the Tough Gets Tough" - Fearless Fish

"That's Something to Worry About" - Worried Walrus

"Whatever can Go Right, Will" - Positive Pig

"Down in the Dumps Again" - Doubtful Dog

"It's Not Fair" - Jealous Jackal

"Another Birthday" - Unique Unicorn

"Sweet Pickles Theme Song (Reprise)" - Pop 26

A 45 inch single was released featuring "What a Wonderful Town This Could Be" by Outraged Octopus on the A-side and the previously unreleased "You Can't Say Enough About Love" as the B-side. Released on Parachute Records # 814 944-7.

There were 2 audiocassette tapes with written lyrics included distributed by Creative Learning Products in collaboration with Euphrosyne, 1982: